Dispenser having agitator and measured delivery



y 1965 T. A. ELLIOTT ETAL 3,

DISPENSER HAVING AGITATOR AND MEASURED DELIVERY Filed Jan. 30, 1963 3SheetsSheet l INVENTORS THO/WAS A. ELL/077' BY Hxlzozp 5 FZ/EDA/A/YATToe/v Y July 2 v1965 T. A. ELLIOTT ETAL 3,197,083

DISPENSER HAVING AGITATOR AND MEASURED DELIVERY Filed Jan. 30, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS THOMAS/1, ELL/077' BY HA BOLD 5 F 2/50/1140DMJZZ-p/ 1770/8 E) y 1965 T. A. ELLIOTT ETAL 3,197,083

DISPENSER HAVING AGITAIOR AND MEASURED DELIVERY Filed Jan. 30, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Tl/OMAS A. ELL/O77 United States Patent Office3,197,683 Patented July 27, 18 6.5

3,197,083 DESPENSER HAVING AGITATGR AND MEASURED DELWERY Thomas A.Elliott, Decatur, and Harold B. Friedman, Atlanta, Ga, assignors, bymesne assignments, to National Service Industries, inc.

Filed .lan. 3t 1963, Ser. No. 254,930 12 Claims. (Cl. 222-231) Thisinvention relates to a dispenser having an agitator and measureddelivery and particularly to a dispenser of that sort adapted to beoperated to deliver a measured quantity of a thick substance such aspasty soap or the like in response to operation by the recipient of thesoap or similar compound.

There are numerous situations where it is desirable to store anddispense thick or pasty compounds such as soap. Almost every machineshop, industrial plant, paint shop and similar places finds it necessaryto provide some type of materifl to be used by the workers for removingstubborn stains, dirt, grime and grease. Many cleaners are well knownfor this purpose such as some of the socalled waterless cleaningcompounds which are in the form of a jelly or pasty substance whichtends to stick together but which is readily separable upon agitationfor movement and delivery. It is often desirable to provide thiscompound in the vicinity of the wash basins or scrub basins in the formof a manually operated dispenser from which a worker can receive ameasured quantity-or the soap compound or the like suflicient to cleanhis hands. Dispensers of this general sort are well known in the art andthere are a number of prior art devices which store and dispense pastyor thick compounds in a measured quantity. Some of these devices areessentially satisfactory but the present invention is an improvement inthe operation, economy and manufacturing details necessary in suchdevices.

Generally described, without restriction on the scope of my inventionwhich is defined in the appended claims, my device, as found in manysimilar prior art devices, comprises a container which is preferablycircular in formation with an open top to receive a portable can of thecompound such as thick or pasty soap to be dispensed by the presentdispenser. A suitable bracket is attached to the dispenser body havingmeans for attachment to a wall or similar surface. One side of thecylindrical container or body could be called the front and it isprovided with an outlet tube with a closed front and having a smallopening or aperture at the bottom from which the compound is dispensed.The opposite side of the container in a straight line from the outletmay be considered the rear of the dispenser and it supports a handle ina bearing thereon for rotation. A dispenser shaft is supported in thebearing with the manually operated handle and has attached thereon ascrew feed conveyor with a few turns leading from less than the centerof the container to the mouth or interior of the dispenser tube. The endopposite from the screw conveyor and dispenser tube supports a circulardisc in one embodiment of the present invention, which is provided witha notch and angularly formed drive face adapted to engage the fiatformedteeth of an agitator plate of generally circular formation mounted forrotation about a central shaft consisting of a small screw through thebottom of the container body. In one form of the invention there arethirteen teeth equally spaced around the notched periphcry of theagitator and radially spaced about the center of the plate to be drivenby the drive face on the drive member. The distance between the top ofadjacent teeth is approximately along the arc of a portion of theperiphery of the drive member which normally lies between two adjacentteeth riding along the top of the rearward tooth and against the back ofthe forward tooth which is driven thereby. In operation, the containeris normally filled to cover the screw conveyor preferably by placing afull removable container of thick soap or the like to feed from the top.Each turn of the handlerotates the drive member a 360 degree are whichpushes one tooth forward approximately one-thirteenth of a fullrotation. This is :sufiicient to agitate the thick or pasty material tomaintain a delivery to the front orifice or opening which normallyremains open. at all times.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for thickor pasty compounds having a positive delivery means that normally feedsto a constantly open delivery port. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive means for anagitator in a dispenser of the sort previously described which is simplein construction but practically jamproof in operation and which can beplayed with in either direction without causing damage or jamrning. I

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenserhaving a drive shaft with a handle on one end thereof driving a screwconveyor on the other end thereof delivering to a port and wherein theshaft, handle and delivery conveyor are fixed with respect to thecontainer body so as to eliminate any unwarranted play or looseness thatleads to jamming of the mech: anism. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensercontainer having an orifice therein at one end on the bottom of a tubewhich normally remains open at all times and having the handle on theother end remote from the delivery end whereby the operator of thedispenser may turn the handle with one hand and receive the soap orsimilar compound with the other. An-advantage of this is that the deviceis easy to manipulate with the two hands and the hands are suflicientlyspaced from one another as not to get in the way of each other.

Other and further objects and advantages of my in; vention will becomeapparent upon reading the follow.- ing specification taken inconjunction with the enclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a complete dispenser made in accordancewith the present invention and illustrating the dispensing of a measuredquantity using the two hands of the recipient.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view looking down into the container body of thedispenser shown in FIG. 1 and with the removable supply containerremoved to expose the internal details.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 33 inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a-cross-sectiona1 View taken substantially along lines 44l inFIG. 2. 7

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevation view taken substantially along the lines55 in FIG. 2.

PEG. .6 is a perspective view of the drive member.

shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modfii ed form of the drive member andtoothed agitatorsegment. i

P16. 8 is a perspective View of still another modified form of the drivemechanism used for operating the toothed agitator. Y

FIG. 9 is the first in a sequence of three diagrammatic figures inelevation taken substantially in the direction of lines 9--9 in FIG. 8ancldemonstrating a typical op: eration of the drive mechanism therein.-

FIG. 10 is the second in the series offigures in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is the third and final in. a series of figures identified Videntified in FIG. 9, and representing the drive just as it pushes atooth forward.

FIG. 12 is the first in a series sequence and series of three figuresshowing the drive mechanism in FIG..7 and illustrating the operationofthe agitator drive shown therein.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 and then to the other figures and otherembodiments of the invention, the entire dispenser is identifiedgenerally by the reference numeral and comprises a removable supplycontainer 12 which may be a can of thick soap or pasty compound sold asan individual unit with its own removable and disposable top (not shown)for replacement on the present dispenser body 14 which is of generallycylindrical formation with an open top 16 in which is inserted thebottom lip of the supply container 12. t

It is envisioned that supply container 12 would be sold as a sealedcontainer having an air port 16 thereon covered by a piece of tape to beremoved after the container is in place so that the thick compound willfall into the container body 14.

Container body 14 is provided on one side, which will be considered thefront for purposes of description and discussion, with an outlet tube 18having a closed front 20 and a small opening or port 22 in the bottomthereof adapted to feed a measured quantity 24 of the thick soap orpaste into the palm of the hand 26 of the recipient.

The other side of the container body 14, for purposes of discussion anddisclosure, is considered as the rear of the container body in wholedispenser 10 and is provided with an actuating crank 28 adapted to beturned by the other hand 30 of the recipientof the measured quantity ofsoap 24.

As readily seen in FIG. 2 and other figures of the drawing, it beingpointed out that the supply container 12 has been removed in FIG. 2 forpurpose of illustration, container body 14 has a closed bottom 32therein which is substantially covered by a disc-like member or plate 34having teeth 36 separated by spaces 38 to be described furtherhereinafter.

It is readily seen in FIG. 2 that the crank 28 is supported in a bearing38 attached to the wall of the container body 14 and the end of crank 28is integral with or attached to a shaft 40 having the front end thereofsupported on a support pin 41 rigidly attached to the front of thedelivery tube 18.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 and other figures of the drawings, the shaft 40has a screw conveyor 42 attached thereto there being approximately threeturns thereof sufiicient to bring the thick material into the internalmouth 44 of the delivery tube 18. It has been found suflicient toprovide a few turns of the conveyor beyond the delivery mouth 44 butless than half of the length of shaft 40 or the center line of thecontainer body bottom 32.

Agitator plate 34 is supported for rotation on a shaft comprising ascrew 48 mounted in the bottom 32 of container body 14 and beingsuitably sealed to prevent any loss of. material therefrom.

Mounted on the rear end of shaft 40, which is the end remote from thefront end having screw conveyor 42 thereon, is a disc-like drive member50 having a sleeve 52 thereon fastened to shaft 40 by a cotter key 54 tobe turned therewith. Drive member 50 is shown in detail in theperspective view of FIG. 6 and it is pointed out that one portionthereof is notched at 56 and provided with a flat, curved lip'58 bentfrom the end of a drive member 59 for the purposeof engaging insuccession the teeth 36 of the agitator 34. 'The location of disc drivemember 50 is such with respectto the top of the respective teeth 36 asdetermined by the position of shaft 40 as to place the apex or upperedge of the teeth close enough to be engaged by the protruding lip 58 asthe disc-like member 50 is turned by crank 28. The operation of this isclear from FIG. 5 wherein it is seen that as the 4. disc-like member 50rotates one revolution it will contact the left hand side of a tooth 36and push same to drive the agitator 34 until it reaches the right handposition at which time it becomes free of and disengaged from the drivemember 50 and subsequent revolutions of drive member 50 will contactsubsequent teeth 36 to keep the agitator 34 moving thereby to deliver apositive amount of the paste-like substance in the body 14 into theconveyor and constantly separating the material to break up the mass.Accidental or intentional reversal of crank 28 and therefore reversedirection of lip 58 does not do any harm as the lip 58 slides over atooth 56.

In the modified form shown in FIG. 7, the plate 34 is replaced by asimilar plate 60 on which the material has been cut and bent upon itselfto form a roof-like or pointed flat tooth 62 adapted to be engaged by aflat lip 64 on a disc member 66 attached to shaft 40 in lieu of the discmember, 50 and the toothed segment 34 of the previous embodiment.

The operation of the embodiment'of FIG. 7 is apparent from the threesequential FIGURES 12, 13 and 14 wherein the lip 64 engages along itsflat surface a corresponding flat portion of a tooth 62 rotatingcounterclockwise to engage same from the position of FIG. 12 to theposition of FIG. 13 and in making a completion of the revolution to pushthe tooth 62.along from the position of FIG. 13 until it becomesdisengaged having moved from the left hand to the right hand side asshown in FIG. 14. This keeps the agitator plate 60 upon which the teeth62 are formed in constant movement as long as the dispenser is beingused and the engagement of the lip 64 with a corresponding slanted tooth60 assures a more positive operation and reduces the chance of jammingwhich is present in some prior art devices. Lip 64 normally faces in thedirection of movement and is slanted from member 65 to slide harmlesslyover a tooth 62 in a reverse direction. Therefore, accidental orintentional reversal does not cause any harm and will not jam themechanism.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the drive members 66 and 50 of theprevious embodiments is removed and shaft 40 is provided with anelongate finger 100 constructed from rod-like material and having aninwardly bent drive portion 102 thereon adapted to lie within the spacebetween adjacent teeth 104 formed on an agitator plate 106 replacing theagitator plate 34 of the embodiment of FIG. 2.

The operation of the drive member 102 of the embodiment of FIG. 8 isnoted from an understanding of the sequential FIGURES 9, 10 and 11wherein in FIG. 9 the counter-clockwise movement of the handle and crank28- brings the dirve member 102 downwardly toward a tooth 104 and as themember 102 on rod 100 approaches its downward position it lies againstthe left hand side of a tooth 104 pushing same about the center shaft 48supporting the agitator plate 106 and carrying same along in a mannersimilar to the previous embodiments from the position of FIG. 10 to theultimate position in FIG. 11 at which point the member 102 becomesdisengaged from the left hand side of the tooth 104 and travels aroundfor a repeated operation.

While we have shown and described a generic invention together withseveral species thereof, this is by way of disclosure and illustrationonly and does not constitute any sort of limitation on the scope of ourinvention since various alterations, substitutions, changes,modifications, variations and ramifications may be made in theembodiments shown and described without depart ing from the scope of ourinvention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Ina dispenser for dispensing paste, thick soaps and the like,

(a) a container body adapted to hold a quantity of the material to bedispensed and having a normally closed bottom,

(b) an outlet element on one side of said container body having anopening from which there is received in one hand a measured quantity ofthe material dispensed from said outlet,

(c) an operating member spaced on the opposite side of said body fromsaid outlet in (b) and adapted to be held and operated by the other handfrom the hand in (b) as the hand in (b) receives the measured quantity,

((1) a screw conveyor means on the inside or" said body in (a) forreceiving and conveying material to be dispensed to the opening in (b),

(e) means supported on opposite sides of and extending through saidcontainer body and conveyor means in (d) to move same in response to theoperation by the hand in (c) thereby to operate said screw conveyormeans to move said material to be dispensed toward said opening, and

(f) agitator means supported within said container and normally having aquantity of material in contact therewith to be agitated thereby andsaid agitator normally having a supply of the material to be dispensedbetween it and said conveyor means in (g) means supporting said agitatorwithin said container body for movement therein,

(h) and means on said screw conveyor supporting means operable by saidoperating member in (c) which moves said agitator in (f) as saidmaterial is dispensed so that the material to be dispensed is agitatedtoward said conveyor whereby a more positive delivery is maintained.

2. In a dispenser for dispensing paste, thick soaps and the like,

(a) a container body having a closed bottom,

(b) an outlet element on one side of said body having an opening thereinunder which the palm of the hand is held to receive a measured quantityof the material dispensed,

(c) an operating member on the other side of said body opposed from saidoutlet and adapted to be held by the other hand as the hand in (b)receives the measured quantity,

(d) a connecting member supported for movement inside of said body,

(e) said operating member being connected with said connecting member tomove same,

(f) a screw conveyor means on the inside of said body connected withsaid connecting member and adapted to move therewith and having aportion thereof leading into the inside of said opening in (g) anagitator plate supported for movement in said container and normallyhaving a quantity of the dispensed material thereon,

(h) means supporting said agitator plate for rotatable movement, and

(i) a drive means connected to said connecting mer her in (d) and beingoperated thereby to drive said agitator in one direction an increment ata time as said operating member in (c) is moved by the hand.

3. In a dispenser for dispensing paste, thick soap and the like,

(a) a container body having an open top and a closed bottom,

(b) an outlet element on one side of said body having an opening underwhich the palm of the hand is held to receive a measured quantity of thematerial dispensed,

(c) a crank operating member on the other side of said body opposed fromsaid outlet and adapted to be operated by the other hand as the hand in(b) rcceives the measured quantity.

(d) a support rod extending from said interior of the tubular outletacross the inside of said cylindrical body and being supported formovement on the other side of said cylindrical body adjacent said crank,

(e) said operating member being attached to said crank support rod in(d) to rotatesarne,

(f) a screw conveyor means on said shaft adjacent said outlet andleading into and extending into said inside of said opening in (b)inside said container body, 1

(g) an agitator plate supported for rotatable movement on the bottom ofsaid container beneath said shaft,

(h) means supporting said agitator on said container body for rotatablemovement, and (i) a drive means on said shaft on the inside of saidcontainer body for the purpose of driving said agitator an increment ofrotation in one direction as said crank is turned.

4. In a dispenser for paste, thick soaps; and the like, (a) a containerbody of formation having an open top and a closed bottom thereon, (b) atubular outlet element on one side of said body having an opening at thebottom thereof under which the palm of the hand is held to receive ameasured quantity ofthe material dispensed,

(c) an operating member on the other side of said cylindrical bodyopposed from said tubular outlet and adapted to be held by the otherhand as the hand in (b) receives the measured quantity,

(d) conveyor drive means on said body and having a portion on the otherside of said body from said operating means,

(e) said operating means being connected to said drive means to drivesame,

(i) a conveyor adjacent said outlet and leading into the side of saidoutlet inside said container body,

(g) an agitator supported for movement on the bottom of said containerbeneath said shaft,

(h) means supporting said agitator on said container body for movementthereon, and a (i) an agitator drive means operated by said operatingmember and moving continuously from a point of beginning back theretoand repeatedly in cycles and said drive means including:

(3') a drive member driven by said operating member,

(k) and individual driven members on said agitator in (i) driven anincrement by said drive member in (j) each time said member moves fromthe point of beginning and back again and so on in sequence, agitatingsaid dispensed material and delivering same from said outlet in (b), andsaid drive member in (j) having a fiat, angular drive portion thereonand wherein said driven members in (k) on said agitator are a pluralityof individual teeth having spaces therebetween and each being formedwith an angular, flat portion substantially complementary to said driveportion on said drive member.

5. The device in claim 4 in which said drive member in (j) is anelongated member with a bent terminal end thereon and wherein saidindividual driven members are teeth mounted on and extending from saidagitator in (i) and (g) and having spaces therebetween whereby eachcycle of said drive member contacts a tooth and moves same with saidagitator to agitate said material and dispense same from said outlet in(b).

6. In a dispenser for paste, thick soaps and the like:

(a) a container body of cylindrical formation having an open top and aclosed bottom thereon,

(b) a tubular outlet element on one side of said cylindrical body havingvan opening at the bottom thereof 7 under which the palm of the hand isheld to receive a measured quantity of the material dispensed,

(c) a crank on the other side of said cylindrical body opposed from saidtubular outlet and adapted to be held by the other hand as the hand in(b) receives the measured quantity,

(d) a movable support extending from said'interior of the tubular outletacross the inside of said cylindrical body and being supported forrotation on the other side of said cylindrical body adjacent said crank,

(e) said crank being connected with said support in (d) to move same,

(f) a conveyor on said support in '(d) adjacent said tubular outlet andleading intoand extending into said inside of said tubular outlet insidesaid container dy,

(g) a plate supported for rotation on the bottom of said containerbeneath said support in (d) and being formed with,

(h) a plurality of upstanding teeth having spaces therebetween, 1

(i) each of said teeth being tapered from a point at the top downwardlyon opposite sides to said plate,

(k) a drive member on said support (d) comprising an elongated rodhaving an outwardly bent drive end 7 extending in one position thereofbetween the tops of adjacent teeth on said agitator plate,

(1) said .rod being inserted through said shaft and fixed therein,

(111) said inwardly bent end constituting a drive finger adapted toengage one side of'a tooth on said agita tor plate and to move saidtooth and said plate about its central pivot as said crank is turned torotate said shaft and to drive said finger in one direction downwardlyand upwardly again and said finger driving said teeth and engaging samefrom either direction and with either rotation clockwise orcounterclockwise of said crank whereby said agitator plate will beoperated regardless of the direction of the rotation of said crank.

7. Ina dispenser for paste, thick soaps and the like:

(a) a container body having an open top and a closed bottom, a

(b) a tubular outlet element on one side of said cylindrical body havingan opening under which the palm of the hand is held to receive ameasured quantity of the material dispensed,

(c) an operating means on the other side of said cylindrical bodyopposed from said tubular outlet and adapted to be operated by the otherhand from the one in (b) as the hand in (b) receives the measuredquantity,

(d) a support extending from said interior of the tubular outlet acrossthe inside of said cylindrical body and being supported for rotation onthe other side of said cylindrical body adjacent said operating means,

(e) said operating means beingattached to said sup- (i) means supportingsaid plate body for rotation thereon,

(j) an agitator-plate drive member operated by said shaft on the insideof said container body and hav' ing a drive portion thereon extending inone position of said drive member into the space between adjacent teethfor the purpose of moving into engagement 'with one side of said teethof a tooth to move said plate in (g) around about said central support,

(k) said operating means in (c) being adapted to operate said shaft tomove said drive member to engage a tooth on one side of said shaft andto move said tooth across into the other side of said shaft as saiddrive portion moves from a downward direction and upwardly again.

8. The device in claim 7 wherein (in) said teeth on said agitator plateare substantially perpendicular on one side and angled from a top apexdownwardly on the other side and being constructed in wide, flatformation to be engaged across the width thereof by the width of saiddrive memher.

9. In a dispenser for paste, thick soaps and the like,

(a) a container body of cylindrical formation having an open top and aclosed bottom thereon,

(b) a tubular outlet element on one side of said cylindrical body havingan opening at the bottom thereof under which the palm of the hand isheld to receive a measured quantity of the material dispensed,

(c) a crank on the other side of said cylindrical body opposed from saidtubular outlet and adapted to be held by the other hand as the hand in(b) receives the measured quantity,

(d) a rigid shaft extending from said interior of the tubular outletacross the inside of said cylindrical body and being supported forrotation on the other side of said cylindrical body adjacent said crank,

(c) said crank being rigidly attached to said shaft to rotate same,

(f) a screw conveyor on said shaft adjacent said tubular outlet andleading into and extending into said inside of said tubular outletinside said container body,

(g) a circular plate supported for rotation on the bottom of saidcontainer beneath said shaft and being formed with,

(h) a plurality of upstanding teeth bent from the material of said plateand having spaces therebetween,

(i) each of said teeth being tapered from a point at the top downwardlyon opposite sides to said plate,

(j) means supporting said plate at the center of said container body forrotation thereon,

(k) an agitator plate drive member of disc-like formation mounted onsaid shaft on the inside of said container body at the side adjacentsaid crank and having a notched portion therein and a protruding drivelip thereon extending in one position of said drive member into thespace between adjacent teeth for the purpose of engaging one side ofsaid teeth of a tooth and pushing same around about said centralsupport,

(1) said crank being adapted to operate said shaft in acounter-clockwise direction to turn said drive disc in acounter-clockwise direction to engage a tooth on one side as said lipmoves downwardly and to move said tooth across into the other side assaid lip moves from a downward direction and upwardly again.

10. The device in claim 9 wherein said teeth on said agitator plate aresubstantially perpendicular on one side and angled from a top apexdownwardly on the other side and being constructed in wide, flatformation to be engaged across the width thereof by the width of saiddrive member. 7

11. In a dispenser for paste, thick soaps and the like,

(a) a container body of cylindrical formation having an open top and aclosed bottom thereon,

(b) a tubular outlet element on one side of said cylindrical body havingan opening at the bottom thereof under which the palm of the hand isheld to receive a measured quantity of the material dispensed,

(c) a crank on the other side of said cylindrical body opposed from saidtubular outlet and adapted to be held by the other hand as the hand in(b) receives the measured quantity,

((1) a rigid shaft extending from said interior of the tubular outletacross the inside of said cylindrical body and being supported forrotation on the other side of said cylindrical body adjacent said crank,

(e) said crank being rigidly attached to said shaft to rotate same,

(f) a screw conveyor on said shaft adjacent said tubular outlet andleading into and extending into said inside of said tubular outletinside said container body,

(g) a circular plate supported for rotation on the bottom of saidcontainer beneath said shaft and being formed with,

(h) a plurality of upstanding teeth bent from the material of said plateand having spaces therebetween,

(i) each of said teeth being tapered from a point at the top downwardlyon opposite sides to said plate,

(j) means supporting said plate body for rotation,

(k) a drive member on said shaft having a portion thereof extending inone position thereof between the tops of adjacent teeth on said agitatorplate,

(1) said drive member engaging said tooth and moving said plate aboutits central pivot as said crank is turned to rotate said shaft and todrive said drive member in one direction downwardly and upwardly againdriving said teeth and engaging same from either direction and witheither rotation clockwise or counterclockwise of said crank whereby saidagitator plate will be operated regardless of the direction of therotation of said crank.

12. In a dispenser for paste, thick soaps and the like,

(a) a container body having an open top and a closed bottom,

(b) a tubular outlet element on one side of said cylindrical body havingan opening under which the palm of the hand is held to receive ameasured quantity of the material dispensed,

(c) an operating means on the other side of said cylin- 1G drical bodyopposed from said tubular outlet and adapted to be operated by the otherhand from the one in (b) as the hand in (b) receives the measuredquantity,

((1) a rigid shaft extending from said interior of the tubular outletacross the inside of said cylindrical body and being supported forrotation on the other s de of said cylindrical body adjacent saidoperating means,

(e) said operating means being attached to said shaft to rotate same,

(f) a conveyor on said shaft adjacent said outlet in (b) and leadinginto and extending into said inside of said outlet in (b) inside saidcontainer body,

(g) an agitator supported for movement on the bottom of said containerbeneath said shaft and being formed with,

(h) a plurality of agitator drive members having,

(i) means supporting said agitator on the bottom of said container bodyfor movement thereon,

(j) an agitator drive member operated by said shaft on the inside ofsaid container body and having a drive portion thereon extending in oneposition of said drive member into engagement with one agitator drivemember in (h) to drive said agitator,

(k) said operating means in (c) being adapted to operate said shaft tomove said drive member in (j) to engage said drive member in (h) on oneside of said shaft and to move said drive member in (h) across into theother side of said shaft as said lip moves from a downward direction andupwardly again, to move the agitator in (g).

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,252,150 8/41Whitfield 222231 X 2,366,379 1/45 Bemis 222360 X 2,527,876 10/50 Curtis222-321 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner.

1. IN A DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING PASTE, THICK SOAPS AND THE LIKE, (A)CONTAINER BODY ADAPTED TO HOLD A QUANTITY OF THE MATERIAL TO BEDISPENSED AND HAVING A NORMALLY CLOSED BOTTOM, (B) AN OUTLET ELEMENT ONONE SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER BODY HAVING AN OPENING FROM WHICH THERE ISRECEIVED IN ONE HAND A MEASURED QUANTITY OF THE MATERRIAL DISPENSED FROMSAID OUTLET, (C) AN OPERATING MEMBER SPACED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAIDBODY FROM SAID OUTLET IN (B) AND ADAPTED TO BE HELD AND OPERATED BY THEOTHER HAND FROM THE HAND IN (B) AS THE HAND IN (B) RECEIVES THE MEASUREDQUANTITY, (D) A SCREW CONVEYOR MEANS ON THE INSIDE OF SAID BODY IN (A)FOR RECEIVING AND CONVEYING MATERIAL TO BE DISPENSED TO THE OPENING IN(B), (E) MEANS SUPPORTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAIDCONTAINER BODY AND CONVEYOR MEANS IN (D) TO MOVE SAME IN RESPONSE TO THEOPERATION BY THE HAND IN (C) THEREBY TO OPERATE SAID SCREW CONVEYORMEANS TO MOVE SAID MATERIAL TO BE DISPENSED TOWARD SAID OPENING, SAID(F) AGITATOR MEANS SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND NORMALLY HAVING AQUANTITY OF MATERIAL IN CONTACT THEREWITH TO BE AGITATED THEREBY ANDSAID AGITATOR NORMALLY HAVING A SUPPLY OF THE MATERIAL TO BE DISPENSEDBETWEEN IT AND SAID CONVEYOR MEANS IN (D), (G) MEANS SUPPORTING SAIDAGITATOR WITHIN SAID CONTAINER BODY FOR MOVEMENT THEREIN, (H) AND MEANSON SAID SCREW CONVEYOR SUPPORTING MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID OPERATINGMEMBER IN (C) WHICH MOVES SAID AGITATOR IN (F) AS SAID MATERIAL ISDISPENSED SO THAT THE MATERIAL TO BE DISPENSED IS AGITATED TOWARD SAIDCONVEYOR WHEREBY A MORE POSITIVE DELIVERY IS MAINTAINED.